Mookie Betts of Red Sox was named the 2018 US league most valuable player, while Christian Yelich of the Brewers…

Mookie Betts of Red Sox was named the 2018 US league most valuable player, while Christian Yelich of the Brewers won the National League MVP award, announced MLB on Thursday night. On the AL side, Beth’s fellow candidates toppled Mike Trout of the Angels and Jose Ramirez from the Indians. In the NL vote, Christian Yelich released Javier Baez of Cubs and Nolan Arenado of the Rockies.

In AL, Betts 28 acquired first-place votes with Trout and his Red Sox teammate, J.D. Martinez, take the other two. Öring ended others with 24 second place votes. Here is a complete AL vote. Betts is just the other player in history to win MVP, a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger and World Series in the same season. Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt also did with Phillies in 1

980.

Yelich received 29 of the 30 first places in NL, while the other went to Mets pitcher / Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom. Baez finished second with 19 second place votes. Here is a complete division of the NL vote. Yelich is the eighth player to win MVP in his first season with his team and only the other NL player to do that. Bob Elliot with 1947 Braves is the other.

Betts, 26, was the best player in the best team 2018, a historically large World Series champion. He beat .346 / .438 / .640 (186 OPS +) with 47 doubles, five triples, 32 homers, 80 RBI, 129 runs, 30 stables, 10.9 WAR and 20 defensive runs saved. A true five-star star, he hit only 91 times in the 614-plate appearance. He led the majors on average, slugging, driving and WAR. He led all AL-outfielders in Defensive Runs Saved as well.

Forell led AL in walks, bass and OPS, others ended in WAR to Betts. Forell now has two MVP and seven straight and four finishes by age 26 years. There is no shame to lose here until the season Betts had, and the year has never stopped lower than others when he plays at least 141 matches. Ramirez beat .270 / .387 / .552 (150 OPS +) with 38 doubles, 39 homers, 105 RBI, 110 runs, 34 rods, 106 walks compared to 80 strikeouts and quality assurance on both second and third. This was his second straight top three finish.

In the National League, Yelich was a big story. He was acquired by the brewers via trade the same night as they signed Lorenzo Cain. Yelich has always been good, but he was never exceptional until he arrived at Milwaukee. He beat .326 / .402 / .598 (164 OPS +) with 34 doubles, seven triples, 36 homers, 110 RBI, 118 runs, 22 rods, 7.6 WAR and 11 DRS in the right field.

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Yelich finished with the best statue in NL, but he was not even one of the best candidates in mid-August. From 17th August to the end of the season, Yelich beat .373 / .481 / .833 (!) With 18 homers and 50 RBI in 40 games. Meanwhile, despite the fact that they have been six matches back on 28 August and four back on September 7, the brothers ran down Cubs for the NL Central title and best record in NL. Yelich certainly wins, but the brewers who won NL Central tiebreaker over Cubs have really cemented the prize.

Baez was also a great story. Heading this year we could have named more than a handful of players at the Cubs who are more likely to be in MVP considerations. He broke out with a big breakthrough that struck .290 / .326 / .554 (126 OPS +) with 40 doubles, nine triples, 34 homers, 111 RBI, 21 stalks, 6.3 WAR, good defense in second, short AND third and most fun highlight of all players in baseball.

For a while, it looked like Arenado’s best chance ever at an MVP after finishing the eighth, fifth and fourth in the last three seasons. He had another good year at .297 / .374 / .561 (OPS + of 133) with 38 doubles, 38 homers and 110 RBI, but his 5.6 WAR was his lowest since 2014. His RBI total was 20+ lower than each of the previous three seasons. The field, which is weaker than in recent years, led to its best finish yet.

In summary, BBWAA got right with Betts and Yelich who scored top marks. They were the most deserved candidates in each league.

MVP honors ratings were the fourth and last major award of the week awarded by BBWAA. You can catch up with all the hardware that has been awarded this offseason in our award-winning tracker .